Education: The Final Blueprint to be Submitted to the Cabinet Soon

The final version of the Blueprint for educational reform will soon be presented to the cabinet. This important announcement comes as students return to school this Monday, following the Easter break, to begin the second term.

The publication of this Blueprint represents a decisive turning point for school reform in Mauritius. The Ministry of Education has conducted numerous consultations with parliamentarians and unions from both the public and private sectors. In February, parents and students were also consulted. These discussions have gathered concrete proposals and technical data to build a comprehensive roadmap that reflects the sector's expectations.

Two Scenarios Under Consideration

At this stage, two main options are being considered for structuring students' pathways:

Option 1: Focus on the PSAC

Admission: Entry into Grade 7 at national and regional colleges will be based on the Primary School Achievement Certificate (PSAC).
Major Change: Elimination of the National Certificate of Education (NCE).
Orientation: All students will be directed to a regional college based on their results. Those who do not meet the required level will join the Foundation Programme in Literacy, Numeracy, and Skills (FPLNS).
Capacity: Approximately 2,400 students will be able to access one of the 21 national colleges (including 12 former academies, 5 national colleges, and 4 private or SeDEC institutions).

Option 2: Retention of the NCE

Admission to Grade 7: The PSAC will remain for access to regional schools.
Admission to Grade 10: Access to national colleges will occur in Grade 10, based on a revised NCE exam.
Support: Students struggling from Grade 7 will join the FPLNS program.
Capacity: Around 2,400 places will be available in national colleges in Grade 10, depending on NCE performance.

Note: Preliminary discussions indicated that Option 1 seemed to generate more interest.

Coeducation and New Grading System

The operational mode of institutions may also evolve: colleges could become either coeducational or single-sex, with the exception of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI), which will maintain its coeducational status.

Furthermore, the assessment system is set to become more precise. The current grading system, where an "A" covers a wide range (75 to 100 points), will be segmented into nine distinct levels:

A:* 90 to 100 points
A: 80 to 89 points
B:* 70 to 79 points
(And so forth across nine levels)

Finally, from a pedagogical standpoint, the Modular Assessment in science and history-geography will be removed starting in Grade 5. These subjects will now be integrated into the final exams for a comprehensive evaluation.